Fixed network AMR (automatic meter reading) systems typically involve meters equipped with radio transmitters operating in a local area network with radio receivers, also sometimes operating as gateways, for collecting meter data from the transmitters and then transmitting the meter data through a second network to a central office. The meter data is transmitted from the receivers or gateways to the central office for processing into customer statements of account. Typically, there is at least a network communications computer and a billing computer at the central office, although various systems at the collection end are possible.
In the prior art, installing an AMR system included the setting up of the central office data collection system and a database for the meter data, and this was a time consuming task involving the manual listing of all transmitters in the field and associating them with their respective receivers at the central office. A general object of the invention is to provide for easier installation and set up of an AMR system, thereby saving labor and installation cost and providing ease of use to the utility.